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Sox Turn to Crochet in Rubber Game

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SEATTLE – (Wire Service Report) – Thanks to batterymates Cal Raleigh and Bryan Woo, the Seattle Mariners will have a chance to win their three-game series against the visiting Boston Red Sox.

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Raleigh hit his major-league-leading 27th homer of the season, a grand slam, and added a two-run double while Woo pitched seven scoreless innings of one-hit ball as the Mariners leveled the series with an 8-0 victory against the Red Sox on Tuesday night.

The series’ decisive game is set for Wednesday afternoon, when Red Sox ace left-hander Garrett Crochet (6-4, 2.24 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound against Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo (4-4, 3.29).

Raleigh snapped out of a 4-for-27 slump when he singled in the first inning, then belted a slam against Walker Buehler in a five-run second inning. He doubled home two more runs in a three-run fourth.

The homer moved Raleigh above the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge for the top spot in the majors.

“What can you say about Cal … he’s been incredible,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “And caught a shutout to boot.”

Woo, who was 0-3 in his previous four starts, gave up only a leadoff single to rookie Marcelo Mayer in the fifth. He walked two and fanned six while again pitching at least six innings, something he has done in all 14 of his starts this season.

“He’s that stopper when we need a big game from our starter,” Raleigh said of Woo. “And he’s showing up every time — Mr. Consistent.”

As for Raleigh’s own accomplishments?

“It’s great, but you know, just trying to keep the head down,” Raleigh said. “The minute you look up and start to admire (it all), that’s when the game will come around and put you in your place.”

Despite winning six of their past seven games, the Red Sox haven’t scored more than four runs during any contest in that stretch. Their offensive output doesn’t figure to improve after trading disgruntled slugger Rafael Devers, a three-time All-Star, to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.

“(The lineup) feels good,” Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran said. “We won (2-0 Monday), and (Tuesday) was just one of those days where you run into a great pitcher and he does his thing.

“I don’t think anybody is thinking too much about (Devers). We’re just focused on the team we have now, and we’re going to keep rolling.”

Crochet didn’t get a decision on Friday against the New York Yankees in a game the host Red Sox won 2-1 in 10 innings. He allowed one run on four hits in 8 1/3 innings, with one walk and seven strikeouts.

Crochet, who had won his previous two starts, is 0-2 with a 4.96 ERA in five career appearances (three starts) vs. Seattle. He lost to the visiting Mariners on April 24 after permitting four runs on five hits and five walks with nine strikeouts in five innings.

Castillo is winless in four starts since May 19, though he is just 0-1 with a 3.52 ERA in that span. He didn’t get a decision in Seattle’s 7-2 victory against the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Friday despite allowing just two runs on three hits over six innings. He walked three and logged a season-high seven strikeouts.

Castillo is 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA in four lifetime starts against Boston.

–Field Level Media

SPORTS BIZ: Secret to a Great Summer

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By JAMES GUMINA

MOUNT VERNON, NY – One of the great opportunities of this  summer has been working as an intern for  Westchester SC at home games. For anyone not familiar, Westchester SC is a first year expansion club in USL League One that holds the record for quickest turnaround from franchise announcement to fielding a team on opening day, and it’s already one of the fastest growing professional clubs in the United States. They compete in USL League One, a professional league two tiers below MLS, as well as in multi-league tournaments like the Jägermeister Cup.

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Home games are played at Mount Vernon’s Memorial Field. Don’t let the number of multipurpose lines on the field fool you, the stadium and club are run extremely well and quite professionally. Easy entry, musical bands, numerous concession stands, and food trucks from across the local community make taking in Westchester games a great experience for the family.

In an era where going to see a pro sports game has become financially burdensome, local professional teams like this are a breath of fresh air. Ticket prices start at $15, and you can get a full, delicious meal and drinks from a food truck for under $20. Add in free parking, and you’ve got a proposition that’s hard to beat. This isn’t your local rec league. These are professional players, many with long careers in academies and clubs both in the U.S. and abroad.

WSC may be new to the league, but its roster is anything but inexperienced. The team pulled on local pipelines and talent to form a dynamic and competitive squad in its inaugural season. From MLS Veterans like Andrew Jean-Baptiste, to USL League one standouts like Steven Payne, to dynamic young goal scorers like JC Obregon, the roster spans experience levels and makes the product on the field a treat to watch.

From the way this team is run, you would have no idea it was a first year club. The stadium experience is smooth and seamless, with a European-style “Ultra” section, dubbed the 914th Infantry, leading chants and energizing the crowd.

I spent a long time in the stands prior to the recent game against AV Alta FC asking where people were from and what brought them to the stadium. As to where people were from, I heard just about every town within a 30 minute drive and a number of people who made the trip up from New York City. With free parking across the street and just a 15-minute walk from Metro-North train line, Westchester SC has drawn fans from across the region.

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Where there was a wide variety of answers to the first question, nearly everyone had the same answer to the second; community.

From members of the 914th infantry, to kids who had heard about the team from one of their friends at school, to family of the players and employees of the team, WSC has made strong inroads into the fabric of the local community. It’s a community of people that love sports, especially soccer, and with the New York City professional teams being hard physically and financially to access, Westchester SC can capitalize on the shortcomings of the more established teams and Westchester can better serve the fans.

Between all these facts, and the raucous 2,000+ person crowd against AV Alta FC, it was easy to forget that the team has only been in existence for closer to 10 months, rather than 10 years. This season is only the beginning for this franchise, and what a well executed start it has been. I look forward to attending more games over the course of the summer of 2025 and to watching the team grow, develop, and prosper within the Westchester community.

Rafael Devers, Meet Luka Dončić

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – Considering the major difference of a trade in MLB with no Salary Cap and the NBA with significant trade restrictions from the long-standing cap (maximum team salary), the recent trade of Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants reminds this columnist of the decision by the Dallas Mavericks to trade Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers this past winter.

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They’re both trades that shocked their respective leagues and fan base. They are both trades that left fans scratching their heads and wondering, ‘Why?”

They are both trades that left critics thinking, “They could’ve gotten more in return for such superstar players, as Doncic was an All-NBA player who led the Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals when they lost to the Boston Celtics and Devers is a Top 10 hitter in all of Major League Baseball.

The Mavericks received once All-NBA center Anthony Davis along with Max Christie and the Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick.

The Lakers received Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris from the Mavericks. There was also some collateral swappings with the Utah Jazz.

With the Devers trade to San Fran, the Red Sox received pitchers Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks, along with outfield prospect James Tibbs and minor-league right-hander Jose Bello.

In both cases, the GMs of each team (Dallas (Nico Harrison) and Boston (Craig Breslow) dealt with – pretty much – just one opponent to come to terms on a deal. The shock value of the trades had much to do with the fact nothing leaked from Dallas-LA nor Boston-SF.  There was one report that Boston bounced an idea or two off the Atlanta Braves, but nothing came of it.

That left the dealmakers – so let’s look a bit deeper into these two trades?

For the Mavericks, there was trouble with Doncic’s injury history, namely lower body strains that kept him on the NBA’s Injured List from Christmas to the trade date of February 2, 2025. Although Doncic led an upstart Mavericks club to the NBA Finals, there was some belief his weight and lack of conditioning might catch up with him sooner than later. In addition, he might simply walk from the Mavs when he was eligible for free agency,

For the Red Sox, the spring of 2025 saw Devers head south when the team went south for spring training. Boston obtained golden glove third baseman Alex Bregman and it prompted the Sox to ask Devers to switch to be their Designated Hitter for the current season. Devers went to the DH role reluctantly.

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When young first baseman Tristan Casas was injured and out for the season, the Sox asked Devers to consider a switch to first to give manager Alex Cora some flexibility and depth. From Devers there was more pouting and even an outburst to the media to communicate back to Cora and the Sox management team.

Also, Devers began the 2025 regular season in a ditch, but he recently broke from that slump in a big way and was among the American League leaders in walks, RBI, On Base Percentage, runs scored, doubles, extra base hits, home runs and total bases. After ending the slump in late April, Devers was batting .325, with 12 home runs, 33 base-on-balls, and was leading the majors with 43 RBI.

While his on-field performance was booming, Devers’ was clearly not rowing in the same direction as the rest of the organization in terms of introducing the three top prospects into active, everyday duty.

In a June 16 conference call with media, Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy and head of baseball operations Breslow expressed their disappointment in not getting on the same page with Devers and shared their point of view of frustration and ultimately the decision to move Devers, with the buzz words of “because they could not find “alignment” with their star.”

In the 24 hours after the trade rumors leaked and became fact, there was more talk of “alignment,” and lack thereof, than at every Town Fair Tires store in New England.

Of course, not hidden in the deal is the fact the Red Sox will save some $250 million over the next eight-plus years as they drop the weight of Devers’ ten year $313.5 million contract, of which two years of the deal was in the bank. For that reason, Red Sox fans and season ticket holders have little patience as ticket prices remain amongst the highest in MLB while stars such as Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Chris Sale were all shipped out of Boston in cost savings moves, each with little return of on-field run producers.

In the end, the Red Sox will speak of alignment while the Mavericks won the Lottery – literally – when they lucked into the rights to draft Duke University star Cooper Flagg next Wednesday night.

The Mavericks will be redeemed on June 25.

The Red Sox will remain in limbo.

PGA Tour Pros Await the Crowds

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CROMWELL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Scottie Scheffler needs no more reminders that his caddie, Ted Scott, was on Bubba Watson’s bag when he won the Travelers Championship three times.

“After a few holes, that can get pretty annoying listening to Teddy talk about when Bubba won,” Scheffler joked with reporters Tuesday about his practice rounds with Scott at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.

How annoying?

“If you keep saying when Bubba won here, I’m going to hit you with my club,” Scheffler said with a laugh.

The top-ranked Scheffler is the defending champion this week at the Travelers Championship, where he defeated Tom Kim in a playoff last year. He is coming off a T7 finish at the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club on Sunday and has won three of his last five events, including the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.

In all seriousness, and even though Watson (Travelers champion in 2010, 2015 and 2018) is left-handed, Scheffler said Scott has helped him to put the signature event’s 6,844-yard, par-70 layout in perspective.

“What we talk about on that golf course is I think there’s a stigma around it that you have to make a ton of birdies, but it’s really about getting the most looks,” Scheffler said. “There’s certain holes where you have to play really conservative and play to the middle of the green and just get as many looks for birdie as possible.”

Scheffler shot 65-64-64-65 to finish 22 under par last year, then bested Kim on the first playoff hole with a par at the 18th.

“The Travelers is a great golf course in the sense you get very rewarded for good shots,” he said. “If you start hitting offline, you can be punished pretty severely. The closing stretch enhances that, and that’s why you have such great finishes there year after year.”

Scheffler, 28, said he appreciates the small-town atmosphere and friendly reception from the fans in Connecticut.

“I think playing in front of the crowds that we get out there is really fun for us. The crowd is always really, really good there,” he said.

“… It’s great. You get such a big crowd, and they’re always rowdy and they’re having fun, and it gets loud in there. You have those finishing holes like 18, the scene around 18 green every year is always so special for us.

“I always dreamt of winning that tournament. I remember Jordan (Spieth) hitting that bunker shot when I was in college (in 2017) and trying to become a pro. It’s just one of those golf courses where there’s really great opportunity for you to have a very special finish.”

–Field Level Media

OKC Takes Control of NBA Finals

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OKLAHOMA CITY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – OKC’s Jalen Williams scored 40 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 120-109 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

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The Thunder lead the series 3-2, moving themselves within a game of the franchise’s first NBA title since the team moved to Oklahoma City.

The series resumes Thursday in Indianapolis.

Even without much offensive production from Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers cut what was an 18-point first-half deficit to two on Pascal Siakam’s 3-pointer from the wing with 8:30 remaining.

The Thunder immediately responded, though, with Cason Wallace grabbing the rebound on Williams’ missed layup and flipping it to Lu Dort, who found Williams for a 3-pointer.

Can’t Beat, “Beat the Streets”

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Guest Column, by James Gumina

One of life’s joys is being introduced to something new. This past weekend, that joy came in the form of professional wrestling, as I attended the FinalX and Beat the Streets World Championships qualifier at the Prudential Center in Newark.

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I was on hand for both the full slate of wrestling on Saturday and the press conference on Friday morning. As I helped athletes, media, and coaches check in for the press conference, I started to get a feel for the event. The word ‘community’ is often overused, but it truly captured what I felt when interacting with everyone on Friday. The athletes and coaches were friendly with us and one another, and the media members were all extremely passionate about the sport.

The press conference featured some of the athletes with the biggest names and resumes competing in the event, though not always the ones who found the most success on Saturday. They all stressed the importance of growing interest in the sport and being role models for the next generation of wrestling athletes.

“I particularly admired Wyatt Hendrickson’s viewpoint about how his life has changed since upsetting Gable Stevenson in “the biggest upset in NCAA history” this past March.”

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However intriguing the press conference was, it paled in comparison to the event itself.

The bouts started at 12:30pm (EDT) with third-place matches, and went all the way through 8:00pm. A raucous crowd of six thousand packed the lower bowl of the Prudential Center from the first bout to the final minute of the last match.

Chatting with people as I walked through the concourse, and noting the massive forearms and slightly cauliflower ears of the fans, it was clear this event pulled in wrestlers, young and old, from across the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut tri-state area. The crowd brought energy, and the wrestlers fed into it, each one of them signing innumerable autographs and filling camera rolls with selfies. I even saw a few wrestlers giving away their shoes to some of the kids in the audience.

It was clear the crowd had some favorites, but the thing they were most loyal to was exciting takedowns. One of the crowd favorites was Yianni Diakomihalis, who cruised to a 10-0 victory in the first round of his best-of-three versus PJ Duke.

The favoritism turned out to be a fickle thing, however, when Duke upset Diakomihalis with a last-second throw in round two and then a pin in round three to elicit two of the loudest crowd pops of the event.

Hendrickson continued his run of greatness with a dominant win in round one, followed by a hard-fought victory in round two. Explaining his strategy after the match, he talked about how he wanted to be aggressive and put on a good show, following it up by saying, “I just love wrestling, I was born for this.”

Some familiar names fell short of qualifying for the world team. After moving to a new weight class, 34-year-old Kyle Dake lost to Zahid Valencia in an exciting match. Kayla Miracle, the 2017 and 2018 US Open champion and current high school teacher, also fell to Adaugo Nwachukwu.

On the other hand, there were a handful of teenagers and high schoolers with outstanding performances. The aforementioned PJ Duke upset Yianni and qualified for the world team, and 19-year-old Audrey Jimenez won her match to qualify for the worlds in Croatia as well.

It was not all wins for the youngsters, however, as 17-year-old Everest Leydecker, a student at the school Kayla teaches, lost in her match to Cristelle Rodriguez, and will now miss out on the chance to celebrate her 18th birthday in Croatia.

But the event wasn’t just about competition. It was also a fundraiser for Beat the Streets, and a successful one at that, raising nearly a million dollars. Beat the Streets is an organization that provides wrestling and educational opportunities to underserved students in the New York City area. It boasts a 100% graduation rate and enrollment rate into college or the military.

Throughout the event, different Beat the Streets students gave their testimonies about how the organization has supported them and will continue to do so. The conjunction of elite-level wrestling and charitable outreach symbolized the true community-first aspect of wrestling.

While I did not walk into the event with any wrestling experience under my belt, I walked out with a newfound appreciation for the athletes, fans, and, ultimately, the sport. It is a tight-knit community that loves the sport and has created a wonderful atmosphere and an impressive, world class event. I am looking forward to seeing the winner compete at worlds in September, and to following many of them on their path to the LA Olympics in 2028.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | June 15

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – As the 2025 NBA Finals and NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs come towards a close, and both series going six, maybe, seven games, Major League Baseball grinds on through the dog days of June. By the 4th of July, it will be “Baseball Season,” but, now, the winter sports are holding on to the interest of sports fans and to loyal, yet dwindling, worldwide television audiences.

 

For both the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Final, pundits are criticizing the rise of the small market teams. In the NBA, Oklahoma City (Thunder, the No. 47 TV market) and Indiana (Pacers, the No. 25 TV market) are playing some of the best basketball seen in years, yet talking heads are harping on the size of each city.

In the NHL Cup Final, small market (Sunrise, Florida) representing Miami and South Florida as a whole (the No. 18 TV market in the USA), now 2-2 (going into Saturday night’s Game 5) vs. Edmonton (1.6m people in market, no Nielsen TV ratings info).

Here’s a look at the tremendous NHL Stanley Cup promo from TNT:

To help promote the Finals (NBA)/Final (NHL), each league and its broadcasters created/aired terrific promo teases, with the NHL’s shining brightly.

The NBA went with a solid campaign, underlined by Nat King Cole’s incomparable song, “Unforgettable.” The :30 second spot airs during NBA programming but also popped up elsewhere to promote tune-in to the Indiana vs OKC series, and other playoff matchups earlier this spring.

The concept took a storyline created by Goodby-Berlin during the “I Love This Game” campaign, weaving in everyday acts and tasks by the everyday fan into the glorious highlights of NBA action in the playoffs.

The All-Time Greatest Sports Tease

Teasing John Malkovich by CBS Sports

The NBA promos struck a chord of an NFL pre-game tease from years ago, one I’ve highlighted in this space before, for sure.

This aired prior to the 2018 AFC Championship game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots won by the Tom Brady-led Patriots, 24-20.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: This coming week is one of WWYI’s favorite weeks of the year. It’s PGA TOUR comes to New England week with the Thursday morning tee-off at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. Digital Sports Desk (and PGA Tour Brunch) will be on site to cover the tournament.

The Travelers Championship is a TOUR Signature Event and will feature a very strong field, including Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1-ranked player in the world and the tournament’s defending champion. This year’s event will be held June 16-22. In addition to Scheffler, every player in the Top 15 of the current Official World Golf Ranking is eligible to play – and 45 of the Top 50 ranked players – has committed to compete. That includes Rory McIlroy (No. 2), who completed the career Grand Slam by winning the Masters this year and also won THE PLAYERS Championship; Xander Schauffele (No. 3), the 2022 Travelers Championship winner and the reigning Open Championship winner; Collin Morikawa (No. 4); Justin Thomas (No. 5); Ludvig Åberg (No. 6); Russell Henley (No. 7); Sepp Straka (No. 8); and Hideki Matsuyama (No. 9).

“This is an incredible field of world-class PGA TOUR players coming to Connecticut this week, and the competition is going to be something golf fans won’t want to miss,” said Andy Bessette, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Travelers. “Thanks to the dedication and hard work of countless people and the support from the best fans on TOUR, the Travelers Championship has become a premier week in golf that continues to have a significant impact on numerous worthy charities throughout the region. We’re looking forward to another great tournament.”

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: The NBA and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) today announced the Top 30 boys and 30 girls who will participate in the 15th edition of Basketball Without Borders / Asia, which will be held at the Singapore Basketball Centre in Singapore from Thursday, June 19 – Sunday, June 22. … USA Basketball announced the 2025 USA Men’s and Women’s 3×3 National Teams scheduled to compete at the 2025 FIBA 3×3 World Cup June 23-29 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The 2025 USA 3×3 Men’s National Team features Henry Caruso, Mitch Hahn, James Parrott and Dylan Travis, while the 2025 USA 3×3 Women’s National Team includes Morgan Maly, Sarah Strong, Mikaylah Williams and Sahara Williams. On the men’s side, the veteran quartet won the 2024 FIBA 3×3 Men’s AmeriCup last December. … The National Basketball Association, National Basketball Players Association and 2K, a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. and publisher of the leading global basketball video game NBA 2K series, today announced they have agreed in principle to terms for a new multiyear global partnership expansion. In addition, 2K has also agreed in principle to terms to extend its longstanding relationships with the NBA G League and USA Basketball. The agreements will enable 2K to continue creating the most realistic, authentic and engaging NBA video game experiences. … Boston Bruins forward David Pastrnak was selected to the 2024-25 NHL Second All-Star Team. This is Pastrnak’s second nomination to the NHL Second All-Star Team (2023-24). He previously received First Team honors in 2019-20 and 2022-23. … The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame revealed the matchups for the annual 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off. The event will take place on Saturday, November 8, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, and will feature a doubleheader: Providence vs. Virginia Tech and George Washington vs. South Florida.

CWS: Here is your printable bracket for the 2025 College World Series, a double elimination college. baseball tournament ongoing as we type and read: (HERE)

U.S. OPEN and FATHER’S DAY SPECIAL: For WWYI & PGA TOUR Brunch Readers and Subscribers, there’s a new golf training tool that’s making serious strokes on and off the course: XView AI – the first and only markerless app that delivers real-time, full-swing golf analysis using nothing more than your iPhone.

Just like a subscription to PGA TOUR Brunch, it’s the perfect gift for Dads who love their game and their gadgets, as the app is currently being offered in a limited-time promotion through Father’s Day 2025. *Buy 2 months at $49.99 per month for XView AI and get one month free (Offer good now through midnight PT on June 16th).

Enter code: xviewdad25

More Info at: (HERE)

THIS JEST IN: The Houston Chronicle is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Houston Rockets’ back-to-back titles won in 1994-95. During the ‘95 NBA Playoffs, the Rockets faced the toughest road to a title – maybe of all-time.

Let former Chronicle columnist Fran Blinebury explain: (Click Here for his column)

Devers Shipped Out of Boston

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BOSTON –  (Staff Report from Official News Release and Wire Service Contributions) – Nomar Garciaparra – GONE. Manny Ramirez – GONE. Johnny Damon – GONE. Adrián González – GONE. Jacoby Ellsbury – GONE. Dustin Pedroia – RETIRED. David Ortiz – RETIRED. Mookie Betts – GONE. Chris Sale – GONE and Xander Bogaerts – GONE.

Rafael Devers – GONE.

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The Boston Red Sox traded third baseman/designated hitter Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants, in exchange for left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison, right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks, minor league outfielder James Tibbs III, and minor league right-handed pitcher Jose Bello. Harrison was optioned to Triple-A Worcester.

Devers will trade the Green Monster for McCovey Cove.

The Red Sox confirmed the trade with an 8:46pm news release sent to Boston-area media after trade rumors ran rampant as the weekend series against the New York Yankees ended Sunday with the Sox sweeping the rivals. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club designated left-handed pitcher Zach Penrod for assignment.

Devers, 28, was signed by Boston as an international free agent at 16 years old on August 9, 2013. In 1,047 Major League games, the Dominican Republic native has hit .279 (1,136-for-4,074) with an .859 OPS, 273 doubles, 215 home runs, and 696 RBI. A three-time All-Star (2021-22, 2023), and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2021, 2023), he finished in the top 15 in American League Most Valuable Player voting four times (2019, 2021-22, 2024). The left-handed hitter has started each of the Red Sox’ 73 games this season as the designated hitter, batting .272 (74-for-272) with 18 doubles, 15 home runs, 58 RBI, and 56 walks.

Harrison, 23, has pitched in eight games (four starts) this season, recording a 4.56 ERA (12 ER/23.2 IP) with 25 strikeouts. Selected by San Francisco in the third round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft, the left-hander entered 2024 ranked by MLB.com as the Giants’ No. 1 prospect and baseball’s No. 23 overall prospect. The California native made his Major League debut in 2023, making seven starts, before making 24 starts with a 4.56 ERA (63 ER/124.1 IP) in 2024. He owns a 4.48 ERA (91 ER/182.2 IP) with 178 strikeouts in 39 career Major League games (35 starts), along with a 3.33 ERA (113 ER/305.1 IP) in 75 career minor league games (all starts).

Hicks, 28, has recorded a 6.47 ERA (35 ER/48.2 IP) with 43 strikeouts in 13 games (nine starts) for San Francisco this season. The right-hander was placed on the 15-Day Injured List on June 3 (retroactive to June 2) with right great toe inflammation. Originally selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft, the Texas native has posted a 4.23 ERA (189 ER/401.2 IP) with 54 holds, 33 saves, a .234 opponent batting average, and 394 strikeouts in 254 career Major League games (37 starts) with the Cardinals (2018-23), Toronto Blue Jays (2023), and Giants (2024-25).

Tibbs III, 22, is ranked among the Giants’ top five prospects by both Baseball America (No. 3) and MLB.com (No. 4). The left-handed hitter has played in 56 games this season for High-A Eugene, batting .245 (50-for-204) with 41 runs scored, 10 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 41 RBI, and an .857 OPS while making 46 starts in right field and eight as the designated hitter. Selected by San Francisco in the first round (No. 13 overall) of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, the Georgia native has batted .244 (76-for-312) with 55 runs scored, 14 home runs, and 28 RBI in 82 career minor league games.

Bello, 20, has pitched in eight games for the Arizona Complex League Giants this season, going 1-0 with one hold, two saves, a 2.00 ERA (4 ER/18.0 IP), a 0.72 WHIP, and 14.00 strikeouts per 9.0 innings (28 strikeouts). Signed as an international free agent by the Giants in January 2023, the Dominican Republic native has posted a 2.97 ERA (26 ER/78.2 IP) with 105 strikeouts and just 18 walks over 25 career appearances (15 starts) in the Dominican Summer League (2023-24) and Arizona Complex League (2024-25).

Penrod, 27, owns a 4.91 ERA (4 ER/7.1 IP) in seven games (three starts) this season with the Florida Complex League Red Sox (one start) and Triple-A Worcester (six games, two starts). Signed by Boston as a minor league free agent in August 2023, the Idaho native has posted a 2.25 ERA (1 ER/4.0 IP) in seven career Major League games, all with the Red Sox in 2024.

A Father’s Day “Save” for Whitlock

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – (Wire Services Contributed to this Story) – For the first time in his career of facing the New York Yankees, Garrett Whitlock found out what pressure is all about. Although he sported a 2.12 ERA vs. the vaunted Yankees over his five years in the majors, the Boston reliever faced more pressure today than he ever knew he would see.

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Whitlock was on the mound at Fenway Park with a 2-0 lead on Father’s Day. He now has a 15-month old son to provide for and closing out a game against the Yankees and gaining a sweep for his Boston team might establish his role with the Sox and even help pay some bills down the road.

After successfully putting out a brush fire in the 8th inning by coercing New York slugger Aaron Judge to ground into an inning ending double play, Whitlock took the mound for the 9th.

A ground out to Yankees OF Cody Bellinger provided the first out, and then the 36,475 fans (sans, maybe 3,000 NY fans) stood to support the new Dad. A strike-out of Jazz Chisholm added to the drama.

Then, the “baby got new shoes” when Whitlock struck-out NY shortstop Anthony Volpe to secure the Boston win and send the Fenway faithful home with the Sox’ fifth straight victory, their seventh of the last eight, eighth of the last nine and their 10th of the last 15 games played.

Boston is now (37-36) on the season and trail the first first place Yankees by 6.5 games after the three-game sweep.

When Boston walked into Yankee Stadium on June 6, they trailed the New Yorkers by 9.5 games. The 9-6 loss in the Bronx made it 10.5 back. But, since then, Boston has won five in a row against NY and they’ve climbed back into an American League East race that is likely to go down to the last days of September.

The Red Sox scored early on this grand Father’s Day in Boston. In a game played under bright, semi-overcast skies and in a lovely 64 degrees, three mph breeze, Boston 1B Romy Gonzalez tripled in the home half of the 1st inning, and SS Trevor Story knocked him in with a base hit.

That one run would prove to be enough, but Boston tacked up another in the 5th inning when DH Rafael Devers clocked an opposite field home run into the front row of the Green Monster seats in left field. A video review proved the two umpires who made the call correct and the scoring for the day was complete.

Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello threw a career-high 114 pitches over seven innings to secure the victory, his third of the season. Bello allowed only three hits, three walked batters while striking out eight Yankees.

A rather shakey 0.1 inning of relief by Red Sox reliever Brennan Bernardino provided the Yanks with two baserunners after singles by pinch hitter Paul Goldschmidt and centerfielder Trent Grisham were cause of Sox manager Alex Cora to pull the plug and insert the young father.

Whitlock did his job and the Red Sox won, 2-0.

Boston will not rest easy this evening, as the club departs today for a nine game road trip, starting tomorrow (Monday) night in Seattle. The three games in the Queen City are to be followed by three in San Francisco and three more in Los Angeles, against the American League Angels.

It’s Marchand’s Cup to Win

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EDMONTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Florida’s Brad Marchand scored twice for the Panthers, who moved a win away from repeating as Stanley Cup champions with a 5-2 win in Game 5 against the host Edmonton Oilers on Saturday.

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Eetu Luostarinen had a goal and an assist, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 19 saves for the Panthers, who can clinch the trophy at home in Florida on Tuesday night.

Connor McDavid and Corey Perry scored for the Oilers. Calvin Pickard made 14 saves.

Marchand gave Florida a 1-0 lead at 9:12 of the first period. He got to a loose puck off a center-ice face-off, went around Mattias Ekholm inside the Edmonton zone and skated to the left hash mark before roofing a snapshot.

Bennett made it 2-0 at 18:06 when he collected the rebound of a Matthew Tkachuk shot that was blocked and fired it quickly past Pickard.

The Oilers had their chances to cut the deficit in the second period with a pair of power plays early in the frame but couldn’t convert.

Marchand extended it to 3-0 at 5:12 of the third period. The veteran retrieved a pass from Luostarinen in the neutral zone, carried it inside the Oilers’ zone, and jumped around defenseman Jake Walman above the left circle before sliding it five-hole on Pickard.

McDavid’s first of the series cut it to 3-1 at 7:24. He took a feed from Evan Bouchard in the left circle and brought it down to the crease, slipping it by Bobrovsky’s right skate to bring life to the crowd.

But Reinhart quieted the crowd when he responded for Florida 46 seconds later. Aleksander Barkov collected the puck behind the net and sent a backhand feed to Reinhart, who snapped it from the left circle through two Edmonton defensemen and past Pickard to make it 4-1 at 8:10.

With Pickard pulled for the extra attacker, Perry narrowed it to 4-2 when he fired a blast from the blue line through traffic at 16:47.

Luostarinen scored an empty-net goal at 18:41 for the 5-2 final.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NHL